The Gilmer Buckeye 7on7 varsity went into the Bullard State Qualifying Tournament last Saturday hoping to finish in the top two teams out of eight entrants and punch their ticket to the State 7on7 Tournament in Leander next month. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, as Gilmer went 1-2 in Pool Play and finished their day early. They will have one final chance to qualify at the Gilmer SQT on Saturday, June 15.

Things started out well in Gilmer’s first game against Kaufman. The Bucks took a 7-0 lead, but couldn’t score again in the first half. They trailed 7-19 at the break. Blevin Burns returned an interception for a TD and Gilmer pulled to within 14-25, but could not get into the end zone again, and lost 14-32.

They fared much better in their second game, as they hammered Tyler TK Gorman 73-0. The Buckeyes led 34-0 at the half, and returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the game.

Based on the results of the other teams in Pool 2, Gilmer knew going into their last pool play game that they needed to score at least 26 points and beat district foe Chapel Hill to make the playoffs. Gilmer scored first, but missed the extra point. Chapel Hill came back and made their extra point, taking a 7-6 lead. Gilmer came right back and scored again. They went for 2 and made the conversion, moving the score to 14-7. They went ahead 20-14, but the Bulldogs tied the game at 20 midway through the second half. Chapel Hill scored what would be the winning TD with just over two minutes left in the game. They missed the extra point, but led 26-20.

Gilmer had one last chance and moved the ball near the 10, but Tanner Barr was intercepted on the last play of the game, and the Bulldogs notched the win and took first place in Pool 2.

Chapel Hill and Kaufman decided not to play a championship game as both had qualified for the state tournament.

We talked with Coach Rebel Jackson after the tournament and got his thoughts. “The defense played hard. We’re young offensively. 7on7 is not our strength offensively. That’s why we’re out here. We know it’s a weak point for us when you can’t run the ball and the quarterback can’t run the ball. Defensively, I think we’re as strong as we’ve been in a long time, and I hope that carries over in the fall. We’re struggling offensively, but I think we’ve got the potential to be real good offensively, and I hope we see that in the fall, but right now we’re working on where we’re weak, and it exposes you a little bit, but the kids played hard and competed hard, and that’s all we can ask for.”

The Buckeyes will next travel to McKinney this Saturday to participate in a Nike-sponsored tournament before getting their final chance to make it to State in Gilmer on the 15th.